


Just a Game

by Artofskating



Series: Home series [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Homophobia, Past Child Abuse, Self-Harm, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2018-11-29 05:15:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11433903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artofskating/pseuds/Artofskating
Summary: Following 6 years after the events of Home, Chara, Alice, Alex, Frisk, and Asriel find that their problems didn't end with Paul's death. With the rise of the Dusters, along with other unprecedented problems, they find that there's another force pulling the strings...SPOILER WARNING (ON HIATUS, READ A/N OF LATEST CHAPTER FOR MORE INFO)





	1. Birthday

Chapter 1

 

“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Chara. Happy birthday to you!” 

Chara closed their eyes and blew out the candles on their birthday cake. 

They couldn’t believe that they had made it this far in life. It was their 18th birthday, and they couldn’t be happier.

So much had happened in the last 6 years.

But, they decided to focus on that later. For now, they focused on the little skelegoat sitting on their lap and the four kids sitting around them. 

Alice, Alex, and Frisk cheered and the rest of the monsters around them applauded. Mila reached up and patted her face.

“Happy burthday!” Mila yelled in their face. Chara chuckled, despite their ringing ears.

“That’s right, Mila. Thank you!” Chara patted the young skelegoat’s head.

“Here, kiddo, lemme take her from ya,” Sans said as he went to pick up Mila. The little skelegoat struggled, but then relaxed as her father picked her up and put her over his shoulder. She signed something, too fast for Chara to catch.

**_She must be talking to Handy again…_ **

Handy was the imaginary friend of Mila. Although Chara couldn’t say he had the best ideas, Mila enjoyed his company.

Then again, Chara partly wished that Mila would grow out of imaginary friends soon. They knew that it was normal for a six year old, but Handy had done some bad things.

**_Handy hasn’t done anything_ ** **too** **_wrong. Yet. I’ll focus on that later._ **

For now, it was party time.

And what a party it was.

“HUMAN! OPEN YOUR PRESENTS!” Papyrus smiled as he put down a plate, on top of which was a present covered in...spaghetti wrapping paper?

Chara decided not to question it as they reached over to the present and used a short fingernail to rip through the pasta. They flinched back for a second at the unexpected heat of the pasta.

“YES...I MADE SURE TO MAKE IT EXTRA HOT SO THAT YOU COULD STILL EAT IT, HUMAN! SO I MADE IT...IN HOTLAND!” Papyrus smiled. Chara paused for a second, wondering why anyone would think that was a good idea.

Like the choice in wrapping paper, they decided not to question it.

“Thanks, Papyrus. I appreciate it.” Chara smiled gently as they tried again, this time getting through the boiling hot spaghetti and revealing the present- a box.

“This isn’t going to be one of those box-in-a-box jokes, is it?” Chara joked as they opened the present, revealing another, plastic box.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

“Oh my Asgore, it is.”

“No, darling, open that box.” Mettaton guided them gently as they opened the box, a vial of glitter falling out. A very specific pink glitter, to be exact.

“That’s right! MTT Brand Glitter in the shade Shoes!” Mettaton announced. “You have all of the prototypes that I created!”

“DON’T YOU MEAN, THE COMPANY?”

“Yeah, that’s what I meant…” Mettaton pursed his lips for a second.

“Thank you, Metta!” Chara smiled as they opened the rest of the box to reveal several more glitters- Grey, Black, and more Pink.

“Arms, Legs, and more Shoes…” Chara read.

**_Seems like he made them in shades of his own coloring…_ **

“Thank you, Metta.” They smiled and stood up, standing on their tip-toes in an unsuccessful attempt to reach his height.

Despite the years, Chara hadn’t grown an inch. Mettaton picked them up instead and hugged them.

“You’re very welcome, darling.” He ruffled their short hair and put them down. Chara went to sit down and unwrap the next present, this time-  **_thankfully_ ** , they thought to themselves- wrapped in normal paper. It was pretty paper, white, but it seemed to be tie-dyed with black, yellow, and purple. Chara could tell that whoever had bought it had put a lot of effort into it- it even had a letter that was tie-dyed the same colors. Chara touched it, surprised by the feel of soft velvet rather than cold, rough paper.

“Wow, this is nice,” They commented, grabbing the letter and carefully peeling the tape off of the present. They opened the letter and pulled out the white letter inside. They read down the letter, preferring not to read it out loud.

 

_ Happy Birthday Chara!  _

_ We hope you enjoy this letter from the two of us. _

_ Love, Alice and Alex  _

 

“Thanks, you two,” Chara smiled, reaching over to hug the two girls, rustling Alex’s long brown hair and hugging Alice’s waist. They let go of the two and sat down to open the present. They gasped as they found a bunch of books!

“ _ Mermaids and Magic _ . You got me the  _ Mermaids and Magic _ series!?” Chara squeaked, jumping up. “Thank you!” They hugged the two girls even tighter, the smile on their face growing even more. “By the way, I love your hair, Alice.”

“O-oh, thank you!” The girl beamed and covered her mouth in embarrassment. She tilted her head, allowing her trendy pink, blue, and purple hair to shine in the light of the kitchen. “It’s my favorite one I’ve done.” 

“Even more so than the red?” Chara joked, recalling how much Alice hated her red hair.

“No, I loved red w-way more.” Alice rolled her eyes and giggled. “Let’s get back to your presents.” She grabbed an oddly shaped present and handed it to the birthday child. “This one is from Grandpa Asgore.” Chara took it and examined the package carefully. It had been wrapped carefully, but messily, a sign, they assumed, that Asgore had attempted to wrap it without magic.

They really appreciated the efforts their family went to. They set down said present and carefully removed the packaging, setting it to the side and looking at the present itself.

It was a gardening bag, complete with the various shovels. Looking through the pockets of the bag, they found several seeds as well.

“Thanks, Dad.” Chara smiled, standing up to hug the former king of the Underground. Without hesitation, he hugged them back, glad to know that they were happy.

Everyone liked seeing them happy, it seemed. The next present had been a painting done by Frisk and Mila- one that Chara appreciated greatly, for they knew how protective Frisk got of their paintings and how they disliked giving out said paintings.

“Thank you so much, Frisk!” Chara had smiled, hugging them tightly.

_ You’re welcome. _ They signed, smiling. While Frisk had been taking speech therapy for the last 4 years and felt more comfortable speaking, they still signed at home.

“You too, Mila!” Chara let go of their sibling and hugged the small goat, taking her out of Sans’ arms.

“I wove you, Sawa!” Mila mumbled, hugging the older person.

“I guess this means this last present is from you guys,” Chara commented, holding Mila in one arm and grabbing the envelope with their other hand. They already knew what it was. It was the same every year.

“Thank you, Mom and Dunkle Sans.” Chara smiled as they opened it to reveal a card with money inside.

“Of course, my child.” Toriel smiled and hugged them, putting a furry arm around Chara’s shoulders.

**_There’s just one person missing…_ ** They frowned, and then shook it off.

**_Azzy said he was at work._ ** They told themselves.  **_He’ll give you your present when he gets home._ **

As those words crossed their mind, the door slammed open.

“Chara!” Asriel yelped, slamming the door behind him. Mila and Alice flinched, Alice moving towards Chara and clutching their arm, keeping an eye on Asriel and Mila burying her face into Chara.

“Azzy? You said you wouldn’t be home until late.” Chara asked the goat, surprised. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

“Uh, yeah, they were slow, so I told them it was my sibling’s birthday and they let me go.” He dropped his hand and held up a small bag. “Here’s your birthday present, Chara.”

“Thanks, Azzy.” Chara smirked, taking the bag from him. They opened the bag and gasped at the contents.

“Wat is it, Sawa?” Mila asked.

“It’s my locket.” Chara opened it, seeing a picture taken recently at the ice rink near Asgore. Chara was holding Mila, surrounded by Alice, Frisk, and Asriel. All of their faces were frozen in a laugh. They smiled and looked up at their brother.

“Azzy…”

“Do you like it?”

“Like it? I  _ love _ it!” Chara grasped the goat in a huge hug, grasping him tightly. He chuckled.

“You’re welcome, Chara.” He hugged them back tightly.

 


	2. Nighttime Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ciara finds themselves lost in thought.

Chapter 2

 

Chara laid in bed, the taste of chocolate cake still on their tongue as they played with the locket Asriel had given them.

**_So much has changed in the last few years...since everything with Meredith and Paul._ **

They shuddered, recalling the horror of realizing that their stepmother had, in fact, been alive and out of jail, and remembering the feeling of being killed by Paul. They shook it off.

**_But that was years ago. It’s over, they won’t ever bug anyone again._ ** They sighed, clutching the locket.

**_Now, all I have to worry about are the Dusters..._ ** They  _ hated _ working as a monster/human ambassador sometimes, and the reason for that was the Dusters.

“Chara?” They were brought from their thoughts by Alice’s soft voice. “How was y-your birthday?”

“It was amazing.” Chara shifted on their bed to make room for their sister. “I really appreciate you guys for putting it all together.”

“Of course! You’re m-my sibling.” Alice smiled. “Whatcha thinking about?”

“The Dusters.” As Chara said that, Alice’s smile dropped.

“Ah. Still having issues?”

“You could say that again.” Chara closed their eyes and sighed. “Why would anyone hate monsters that much? That much to want them dead?” They snapped open their eyes and put their hand roughly on the bed. “Monsters have done nothing to hurt the humans. They’re better than that.”

“I know.” Alice looked away. “Much b-better than humans…”

Chara knew exactly what Alice was thinking of.

“Alice, he’s gone. He has been for 6 years. You’re safe.”

“I know that.” Alice looked back at Chara and closed her eyes. “B-but sometimes I can just…I can imagine w-waking up back to being an 11 year old, scared to d-death of her father and fearing that she may not be alive the next day…” Chara hugged the girl.

“I know. I understand,” Chara reassured the girl, patting her back. “But you’re safe. You’re here, you’re alive.”

“No, I’m Alice,” Alice joked, holding her hand over her mouth as she giggled. Chara smiled as well, and lightly shoved Alice.

“Very funny.”

* * *

Later that night, Chara laid in their bed.

It was entirely dark, with the exception of the green light coming from their alarm clock, which, when Chara rolled over to squint at, made out that it was 1:34 AM. Sighing quietly, they sat up and looked across the room to their sleeping siblings and Alex, who had slept over.

The years had all changed them drastically. Frisk had grown quite a bit, towering several inches over Chara when they were together. They had recently dyed their hip length hair to be a dusty purple along with their natural brown hair, creating a pretty ombre that Alice seemed to love braiding during one of her non-verbal times to calm down. Speaking of, Chara focused on their adopted sibling, with her messy, short, pink, blue, and purple hair, fully laying out over her own bed, cuddling a stuffed bunny Chara had gotten her for her 12th birthday as tightly as she could. On the spare bed was Alex, her long, curly brown and blonde hair pulled up into a messy bun, facing away from Chara. And then on the bed next to them, was Asriel. He had grown a lot as well, being close to Frisk’s height. He also looked much older, having lost some of the baby fat that Chara recalled him having pre-Flowey.

Suddenly nostalgic, Chara grabbed a hoodie off of the side of their bed and teleported themselves outside.

They were going on a quick walk to the town’s fountain.

* * *

**_How did everything change so fast? One day I was reincarnated from Frisk, now all of a sudden its been years._ ** Chara picked up a stick and poked at a loose stone near the fountain.

**_So much responsibility has been put on our shoulders...As soon as Frisk felt comfortable talking around other people, Mom let us join ambassador meetings. I think we were 14? That was three years ago._ **

**_The ambassador meetings…_ **

They had always reminded Chara of the PTA meetings back when they had first split off from Frisk. It had amused them at first, then they realized exactly how bigoted the other ambassadors were.

**_It’s like talking to a child. A bigoted, bigoted, child._ ** They shook their head.  **_They never learn, and even worse, they teach their kids to be the same way._ ** They felt horrible for the young girl that often joined her parents, the ambassadors.

**_I believe her name was...Willow? I’m not sure. She’s probably 8 or 9._ **

They threw the stick down and started walking again.

**_In other news, Alex successfully came out at school. Even the more bigoted kids seem to be perfectly ok, although I think that’s more Jimmy than Alex._ ** They knew that Jimmy was very protective of his sister.

Especially when it came to their mother.

**_I’ll admit, Linda’s not as bad as she was before. Still, I don’t think it’s wise to come out to her until Alex can be safe._ **

Chara sat down on the fountain’s edge, hearing the small splashes of the water. They looked at their locket, seeing the picture of their family. TO their surprise, they noticed there was a second part.

**_No wonder the locket is so thick._ ** They flipped it and gasped at the next picture.

It was clearly old. Several decades old. But they recognized it all the same.

It was a father and his child. The father looked young, his dark brown hair  showing no signs of age, and he was looking proudly at a little girl with long, curly locks. She was giggling as well.

“Azzy...how did you get this?” Chara touched the little girl’s face, suddenly serene.

**_I haven’t seen this picture since before I fell underground. It’s the last picture of my father and I. I think I was 3._ **

Chara decided they’d thank Asriel tomorrow. Speaking of, they checked the time- 3:31.

**_Didn’t realize I was out for so long. Should probably head back._ **

But still, they sat for another half hour before teleporting back to the comfort of their own bed, ripping off the hoodie and passing out.

* * *

Little did Chara realize, Alice was awake, thinking about her own issues.

**_I had that nightmare again…_ **

They turned, seeing their sibling’s back rise and fall with their breaths.

**_If I could teleport, I’d be walking around too. That, and if I didn’t have a fear of strangers from when I was little._ ** Alice sat up, looking down at her lap.  **_Paul, why did you abandon me? I was so young. I was too young…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of your support! See you next chapter~


	3. Submerged

Chapter 3

 

Next thing she knew, it was 4:30 AM, yet she was eating a bowl of mac n cheese and some brownies Toriel had made.

“Self care is e-eating mac n cheese and brownies at 4:30 in the morning,” She told herself, scooping another spoonful into her mouth and quietly chewing, a habit she had made living with Paul, yet had never dropped.

She wished Chara or someone else was up. She didn’t like to be alone with her thoughts.

The more she remembered, the more she wished she didn’t. 

**_Why can’t the good memories be easier to remember and the bad memories harder?_ **

**_That is, if I had any good memories to remember…_ **

Alice decided that it was a better idea to focus on the mac n cheese. She made it a specific way, so that it was way cheesier.

Of course, this way was to put more cheese in it. It was the way she recalled her mother making it. The best way, in her humble opinion.

She just wished someone else was awake to share.

**_Chara was awake a minute ago. They don’t need to sleep._ ** Alice left her mac n cheese and slowly made her way upstairs. To her surprise, Frisk was awake.

“Frisk?” Her adopted sibling lifted their head and got slowly out of bed, their long hair brushing the bed as they stood up. Upon seeing their sister, Frisk smiled and went to hug her, which led to Alice jumping back a little. Frisk frowned, and then nodded, signing  _ No touch mode? _

“Yeah,” Alice whispered, sighing. She didn't quite understand it, but some days she just hated being touched. Luckly for her, her adopted family seemed to understand. “I made mac n cheese. You want some?” At the sound of mac n cheese, Frisk perked up, nodding as they grabbed their bright red glasses off the table. Putting them on and blinking their eyes at the clearness, they followed Alice downstairs. Alice spooned out half the mac n cheese and put it in a bowl for Frisk.

_ This is good. _ Frisk commented.

“Thank you.” Alice smiled. 

The two sat in silence, eating their food.

_ So, why are you up? _ Frisk asked.

“I could ask the same of you,” Alice pointed out.

_ Couldn’t sleep. _

“Makes sense. Same here.”

_ Intrusive thoughts? _

Alice sighed. Frisk could read her like a book.

“Yeah.”

_ Just like…  _ Frisk paused for a sec and took a breath. “Don’t let it get to you.”

Alice nodded, the surprise of Frisk talking no longer affecting her.

_ Have you tried your new coping mechanism? _

“Yeah. I mean, sneaking off to the river helps. Makes me feel more in control.”

_ I getcha. _ Frisk sighed.  _  I know what its like to lose a parent. I lost my mommy twice. _

Alice nodded.

**_That’s right, Frisk lost their biological mother twice. Once when they ran away, once when Paul killed her._ **

“And I mean, it’s a bit different. Mommy didn’t hurt me like Paul hurt you.”

“Yeah.” Alice nodded once more. “But your mother did hurt you.” 

Frisk frowned.

_ She did. But honestly? She was incredibly misinformed. She wouldn’t have if she knew. _

“Doesn’t change that she did it.”

_...True. _ Frisk frowned, then started tapping the table.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Frisk said, moving their hand to fidget with their nightshirt.   _ It’s ok. I forgive you.  _ Alice sighed and sat back.

The two sat in silence, eating mac n cheese, until there was no more. Alice silently got up and grabbed the bowls to wash them as Frisk went back upstairs.

“Goodnight, Alice,” Frisk said as they went up.

“Goodnight, Frisk.” Alice turned back to the dishes.

Here she was again, left alone with her thoughts.

She didn’t blame Frisk in the slightest. It was- she checked the clock- only 5 am, after all.

**_Maybe I should try heading out to the river tonight. It might get my mind off of_ ** **that** **_._ **

Carefully turning off the alarm- she had already known that Sans and Toriel turned off the regular beeps it made upstairs in their room, as it woke Mila up- and grabbing her swimwear she kept in a bag in the closet, she turned it back on and left within the next minute.

* * *

The river wasn’t too far from the house. Only a couple minute’s walk.

She power walked, hearing the leaves crunch under her feet. It seemed that fall was coming early this year.

The leaves were the only other sound with the exception of Alice’s nervous breathing, and the light clicking of a switch she kept in her pocket, for times like this when she was nervous.

Going out in the early morning, when no one was around, and swimming was an exercise for her. To help get over her fears.

It was a tactic she had been trying since she was 13. Chara, of course, had been the one to suggest it, and the two had gone out many a time. This was the river where Chara had taught her how to swim.

Alice went alone now, but she was slowly healing. Slowly the wounds Paul had left were closing. 

Swimming, and water in general had been a fear of her’s. Since the day Paul tried to drown her, she had been afraid of water.

She knew all too well the damage it could do.

There was a small bathroom near the river, one that she used to change into her swimsuit. Once she emerged, she followed the river to a small pond. Putting her bag down next to the edge, she took a breath and jumped, letting herself be submerged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sorry for the short chapter.  
> See you all next time~
> 
> ~Skater


	4. Shifter

Chapter 4

 

Alice swam happily for a while, letting the water take her mind off of her thoughts. In fact, a good hour had passed before she got out.

**_Maybe I should text Mom. Just like, let her know where I am._ **

The rest of the family was well aware of her coping method. The only thing that her adoptive parents had anything to say about it was for her to text where she was.

“Hello?” The sudden voice made Alice jump, and she dropped her phone in the pond!

“Shit!” Alice rushed to the edge and rescued her phone, but it was too late. Alice tried turning it on, but it wouldn’t.

“Who are you?” Alice demanded. A small light appeared, and a person appeared from the light. They shook out their fluffy white hair and put their hands on their hips.

“That’s a question I don’t hear too much,” They commented. “I shift around so much that that just like…” They paused. “Like, that doesn’t, doesn’t really occur to me. It doesn’t occur to me that most humans ask for identity.”

“Are you n-not human?” Alice asked, trying again to turn on her phone. They shook their head.

“I’m a shifter. We lived Underground.” They explained. “We were created. Created, not born.”

“Created?” Alice paused. “Can I give you a name?”

“Sure you can, you c-can give me a name.” They nodded.

“Hmm….” Alice tilted her head. “H-how about Kaya?”

“Kaya…” They closed their eyes. “Yes. That fits.”

“What are you doing here, Kaya?” Alice asked. “I-I thought I was the only one who ever went here.”

“I’ve been hiding, I’ve b-been hiding here.” Kaya looked away. “There are…” They paused again. “There are forces here, forces here that make it so that I…” Once more. “That I can’t be out in the open.”

“What forces?” Kaya shook their head at Alice’s question. “Can’t say?” Kaya nodded. Alice sighed. “Alright. What can you tell me?” Kaya tilted their head.

“Uh…” They pursed their lips. “Not much, I’m afraid. Shifters don’t, don’t really have a sense of identity or, i-identity or self. We can c-choose our forms. Choose our forms, but that’s about it. I prefer presenting as humanish.”

“What o-other forms do you have?” Alice asked, giving up on fixing her phone and shoving it in her bag instead.

“Any,” Kaya shrugged. “I’ve presented as. Presented as a dog, a cat, a bird, a cat, a bird, a bunny, and so much, s-s-so much more.”

“That’s interesting.”

**_Why do they keep repeating words and phrases? Is it just a stutter, like what I do?_ **

They tilted their head, and Alice was suddenly left wondering if Kaya could read her thoughts.

“...I should go.” And with that, Kaya was gone and the light that was there prior was gone as well.

“Kaya!” Alice called out. No response. She yelled out in frustration and looked down on her broken phone.

“What now?”

She knew the answer. Before she even knew, she had gotten up and ran after the Shifter, guessing blindly through the forest where Kaya was. 

“Kaya?” Alice called, pausing in her steps. She looked around, recognising her surroundings.

It had been a while since she had been in this forest. She took a path towards what she assumed to be northwest (she was bad with directions sometimes) and kept walking, finding the clearing where only 6 years earlier, her, her siblings, and Alex had stumbled upon the body of Frisk’s mother. Alice sat down on a rock and closed her eyes.

She could still smell the blood, even so many years later. The mangled body of her sibling’s mother was a sight that she would never forget.

**_Because that could have easily happened to me too. If Chara hadn’t killed Paul._ ** Alice shuddered to think of what could have happened if Chara hadn’t woken up in time.

She still recalled the feelings that had flown through her head. The fear, the debilitating fear as Paul had brought his knife up above her, and she finally realized that he didn’t love her, that there was nothing telling her from a stranger to him.

And killing his own daughter wasn’t any different to him either. It had cemented in her brain that there was no doubt, zero doubt whatsoever that he had also killed her mother. There was no doubt that leaving her on the streets, not bothering to tell the police that he had a young daughter, was intentional as well. 

He  _ had _ always commented on how much she looked like her mother. 

She decided to cut off her thoughts there. 

**_I’m not ready to even get into what happened in that year on the streets._ ** She looked up, seeing a cat in the clearing. The cat was sitting there, cleaning itself as Alice walked up to it. She recognised the pale coloring.

“Aww, Kaya, y-you’re so cute as a kitty.” Alice commented. The cat hissed as a flash of light appeared and Kaya appeared, sitting in the same wide legged position as the cat had.

“I didn’t think, think that you would recognise me.” Kaya muttered.

“Well, I can recognise you anywhere,” Alice said matter of factly, sitting next to the shifter. “Say, think you can shift into someone that knows technology and fix my phone?” Kaya lifted their head. 

“Normally I would, I would, but I must leave.” And with that, Kaya disappeared, just as Sans appeared.

“Heya kiddo.” He smiled. “Whatcha doin’ in here?”

“Oh, I t-thought I saw something.” Alice looked down. “I’m sorry.”

“Nah, don’t apologise kiddo, looks like your phone’s broken. Come on, let’s get it fixed.” Sans grabbed the girl’s arm and took a shortcut back to the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update!! Been super busy lately with school and skating and dance lol.  
> I'll see you all next chapter!!


	5. Mila

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans, Mila, and Alice enjoy a cup of hot chocolate back at the house.

Chapter 5

 

Sans sat with Mila and Alice, Alice next to him in a blanket, drinking hot cocoa, and Mila in his lap, also drinking hot cocoa.

They had just gotten home from Alice’s lake adventure.

**_I still gotta take Alice to get her phone fixed, but for now, I wanna make sure that she’s warm._ **

“So, what did you see?” Sans asked. Alice took a sip and paused.

“Before I tell you, I need to ask you something.” Sans tilted his head.

“Shoot.”

“Do you know what a Shifter is?”

Sans blinked. He hadn’t expected this question. He shifted his weight, adjusting Mila. “Yes, I do.”

“I met one. Named them Kaya.”

“Kaya?” Sans raised a non existant eyebrow.

“Yes,” Alice confirmed. She took another sip. “They were so pretty. They had r-really pale blonde hair that was super fluffy and curly. They had the most gorgeous eyes, it was like staring into an angel’s eyes…” Alice sighed.

“It sounds like you really like them,” Sans commented.

“I do. They were really nice, even though we didn’t talk for long.” Alice paused, staring off into space. “They had a really bad stutter. Worse than mine.”

“Shifters have been through a lot,” Sans commented. “I’m not surprised.”

“They have?” Alice frowned, taking a sip. Mila crawled out of Sans’ lap, knocking over her hot cocoa. Out of habit, Alice moved to grab the cup, and successfully did so, not realizing that the cup would still spill...all over her pants. Mila giggled loudly as Alice frowned at her.

“You ok, Alice?” Sans asked, grabbing the cup from her.

“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s not that hot.” Alice stood up and took the cup from Sans. “I can take this.”

“You sure?” Sans asked. Alice nodded.

“I got this.” She walked out of the living room into the kitchen. Sans turned his attention back to Mila, who had stopped laughing and was staring at Sans with a smile on her face.

“Mila, you need to be more careful,” Sans sighed, picking up the small child. Mila smiled at him and then managed to wiggle out from his arms, landing on her butt on the floor, standing up and toddling off.

“Mila!” Sans “ran” after her (more like walking but making movement like running) to catch up to the child. “You’re too fast!! I can’t catch up!”

Mila giggled once more and toddled behind a corner, and then bonked her head on something. She fell on her butt again, and sat back and cried. Sans’ “run” turned into an actual run and he followed her and picked her up, cudding her into his arms.

“What happened?” Toriel came running, taking Mila from him.

“She hit her head on something,” Sans explained.

“Awww, Mila!” Toriel cuddled her daughter closer. 

“I-it’s not my fault!” Mila blubbered. “Handy told me to wun the cowner!” Toriel comforted the child.

“It’s ok Mila. Let me get you some ice, my child.” Toriel gave the girl back to Sans and went to the kitchen.

“Mila, honey, you know you can’t always listen to Handy,” Sans warned. “This isn’t the first time he’s told you to do something that hurt you.”

“It’s not his fault! I’m being an idiot,” Mila frowned.

“Mila, do me a favor and never call yourself an idiot because of how someone else’s behavior affected you. Ever.”

“Why?” Mila tilted her head, tears dripping from her eyes.

“B-because it opens you up to getting hurt.” They both looked up at Alice’s bell-like voice. Sans noted the stain still on her pants. “Mom told me to bring the ice, she wanted to grab something for Mila,” Alice explained, before adding onto what she had said with “Trust me Mila. Don’t blame yourself for what other people have done to you.” Mila blinked.

“Why?”

“Bad people can take a-advantage of you. If you blame yourself for their behavior, then it excuses their behavior. And they’ll keep doing it,” Alice sat down, and put the ice pack on Mila’s head.

“COWD!” Mila yelped, taking it off and throwing it at Alice. It hit her in the chest, and she jumped back.

“That is cold Mila!” Alice squeaked. “But you have to put it on your head. I promise it’ll help with the pain.”

“...ok.” Mila relented, shivering as the ice pack went on her head. 

“See, t-that’s not too bad!” Alice tried to encourage the baby, who just stared at her. “Right, it is that bad. Ok, uhhhhh, h-how about i make you another hot chocolate?” Mila perked up and nodded at that. 

“Yes pease.” Mila smiled.

“You have to keep the ice pack on, though,” Alice told her. “Agreed?”

“Agweed.” Mila nodded, wincing. Alice left to grab the hot chocolate as Toriel came back in with a slice of butterscotch cinnamon pie.

“Oh, Alice?” Sans called after the girl, but she had already gone into the kitchen. “Tori, you mind getting Mila settled?”   
“Of course not.” Toriel turned her attention to her daughter as Sans walked after Alice to the kitchen.

“Hey, Alice, you wanna take care of that stain?” Sans asked.

“Oh, I-I completely forgot about it.” Alice frowned, looking down at her pants. “I’ll just give Mila her hot chocolate and take care of it.” Before Sans could say anything, Alice walked off with the hot chocolate. He sat down at the table, thinking about what Alice had said about Kaya.

**_Alice should really be careful with that Shifter. I don’t know why exactly they exist, why they were created, but I doubt its for a good reason. Alice doesn’t deserve to be hurt anymore._ **


	6. A Prison Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara visits their dad in prison.

Chapter 6

"Hello, I'm here to visit-"

"Yeah yeah, your dad. We know." Chara sighed. The prison guards had never gotten nicer to them in 6 years. Why didn't they understand that this was their father of all people, who they hadn't seen in, well, decades? "Well, sorry kiddo, but he was just transferred."

"Transferred!?" Chara was shocked.

"Yep. To Texas, too," The guard stated, shaking his head. "Dunno why." Chara had to step back for a second.

**_Transferred? To Texas, of all places?_**  Chara closed their eyes.

"Well, sorry kiddo, but unless you wanna visit someone else, skedaddle."

Chara rolled their eyes and walked outside, sitting on the bench.

**_There go my plans for today…_** They played with the necklace.  ** _I didn't even get to show him the necklace._**

They looked up at the sky.

_**I didn't even get to say goodbye.** _

They had missed him so much. They spent every day visiting him, every day since they were able to 5 years earlier. It was the best part of their day, getting to share it with him.

Making up for the 15 or so years they had been gone.

It had taken a little to tell him what had happened, but he was fully accepting of everything, and he had spoken fondly of finally getting out of prison.

It broke their heart that he was transferred away.

They clenched their fist.

**_I have a feeling I know who took him away from me…_**  They stood up and walked back in. The guard rolled his eyes at the sight of them.

"Kid, I told you already, your dad-"

"I want to see Meredith Breiner." The guard was taken offguard. He sat up and looked at them.

"Kid…"

"I. Want. To. See. Meredith. Breiner." Chara insisted, slamming their hand on the desk.

"...Come with me." The guard relented, leading Chara with him to the visitor's room.

* * *

**_Meredith was deemed mentally unfit to stand trial. She's been sent back here to finish her sentence from killing Jonathan._ **

"I'll grab her. Stay put." The guard told Chara as he left them in the room. Minutes later, Meredith walked in and sat down across from them, smirking.

"So, couldn't get enough of me, huh?" She taunted. "You missed your mommy, Charlotte?"

"You're not my mother. You never were," Chara snapped. "I know what you did. You got my dad transferred." Meredith chuckled.

"Didn't take you long to figure that out, huh?"

"You're a horrible person, Meredith."

"You're just now realizing that?" She giggled. "I'd have thought you'd figure that out when I killed Jonathan."

"Shut up," Chara snapped.

"Aww, am I hurting your feewings?" Meredith egged Chara on. Chara paused and took a breath.

"How did you get him tranferred? Did you accuse him of rape again? Did you force him to attack you?"

"That's for me to know and you to never find out~"

"Fuck off."

"Oooo, touchy, are we?" Meredith crossed her arms.

Chara did the same, pausing to take a breath.

"That was my father, you incredulous bitch. One of my best friends, one of the best people in my life, and you took him from me. Twice."

"Boo hoo. Everyone loses things," Meredith scoffed. She rolled her eyes and added, "I would know."

"Oh, so you just 'lost' Jonathan? You just 'lost' my dad?"

"I lost my family, you ungrateful little shit. My parents disowned me when I was 18,"

"Gee, I wonder why? Was it your sadism that time? Or the fact that you don't care about anyone except yourself?"

"I just got even with some old friends."

"You just got 'even'?" Chara scoffed and laughed at the same time. "Let me guess: You stabbed them?"

"Maybe. You'll never know," Meredith shrugged. Chara scowled at her.

**_Take a breath, Chara._** They told themselves.  ** _Remember, Alphys is working on that truth serum. You'll get some answers then._**

"The truth will come out eventually, Meredith," Chara told the woman. "Whether you like it or not." Meredith laughed.

"We'll see, Charlotte," Meredith managed through laughter. "We'll see."

* * *

In any case, Chara was upset as they left the detention center.

**_I can't believe he's just...gone._ **

**_Texas is so far away. I'll never be able to see him again._ **

**_Ever._ **

* * *

"Chara?" Alice asked, looking up as her sibling walked in. Chara looked at her and then sat down, putting their arms on the table and then their head into their arms. Alice paused, saying nothing, before going to hug them.

After everything, they definitely needed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey yall.
> 
> I know this chapter was a long time coming, and I'm sorry its so short and shitty.
> 
> But i need to be honest with yall.
> 
> Part of the reason for the late update has been lack of motivation. I know thats what I say for every late update, but it still holds true.
> 
> I feel as though I overshot myself by promising a sequel.
> 
> Another part has been my mental health.
> 
> My mental health has been steadily getting worse. I can barely find the energy to get through the day, let alone write. I can't even find the energy to post this chapter when I finished it, and when I did try to post it, Fanfiction (the other site i post on) glitched out.
> 
> This probably sounds like excuses to all of you, but everything I say is true. I am so incredibly sorry for all the delays, and I will try to make it up to all of you once I regain my motivation.
> 
> I do not have the motivation to write this story at the moment. I am going on a long hiatus, unfortunately.
> 
> I cannot give a time I will be back.
> 
> I will try to write more chapters while I am gone.
> 
> I am so sorry for letting everyone down.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi you guys!  
> I'm really really sorry that this got released so late.  
> I can't really guarantee an update schedule for this, until I get back into a writing rhythm, it might just be whenever I finish a chapter again.  
> Anyways  
> this chapter is really sucky, but the next chapters should be better.  
> See y'all next chapter!
> 
> ~Skater


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